Lamp stand connector

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides connectors for forming a joint in the recessed abutting ends of adjacent members, such as wood turnings, in the stand of an electric lamp stand, the end portions of the connector being releasably fixedly accommodated in the recesses and both the members and the connectors including a bore to provide for passage of electric flex to a socket to provide power for lighting the bulb of a lamp formed from said stand. The recesses are preferably internally threaded and the connector is preferably externally threaded to provide for the releaseable fixed accommodation of the connector in the recesses.

United States Patent [1 1 Dennis l LAMP STAND CONNECTOR [76] Inventor:Edward F. Dennis, 362 Merry St.

South, MagOg, Quebec, Canada [22] Filed: July 23, 1971 [2]] Appl. No.:165,493

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 238,836 8/1925 Great Britain 240/81 BS 13,745,331 [451 July 10,1973

Primary Examiner-Samuel S. Matthews Assistant Examiner-Richard A.Wintercorn Attorney-Stevens, Davis, Miller & Mosher [57] ABSTRACT Thepresent invention provides connectors for forming a joint in therecessed abutting ends of adjacent members, such as wood turnings, inthe stand of an electric lamp stand, the end portions of the connectorbeing releasably fixedly accommodated in the recesses and both themembers and the connectors including a bore to provide for passage ofelectric flex to a socket to provide power for lighting the bulb of alamp formed from said stand. The recesses are preferably internallythreaded and the connector is preferably externally threaded to providefor the releaseable fixed accommodation of the connector in therecesses.

12 Claims, 3 Drawing, Figures Patented Ju y10,1973 3,745,331

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG]. FIG.2.

LAMP STAND CONNECTOR The present invention relates to the electric lampsboth of the table and floor model type and in particular the presentinvention relates to an electric lamp in which the lamp stand is formedfrom a plurality of members, e.g. wood turnings, in a way which allowsfor the stand to be erected simply and easily by the customer or theretailer and thus allows the lamp to be shipped from the manufacturer ina compact form.

Heretofore the lamp stands of such electric lamps have been formed froma plurality of members, in particular wood turnings of the desireddesign, which wood turnings have a central bore therethrough and aremounted on a central metal tube, e.g. brass tube, with the turnings inend to end abutting relationship. The socket for the electric bulb andthe lamp shade are mounted on the top of the brass tube by means of anexternally threaded metal sleeve which is fixedly mounted into the topportion of the bore of the brass tube and extends therefrom, the socketbeing screwed onto the externally threaded portion of the sleeve and thebracket of the lamp shade fitting over the outside of the sleeve andbeing held in place by a locking member. Power is supplied to the bulbin the socket via an electric flex passing upwardly through the stand byway of the bore in the brass tube.

Such lamps are however subject to several disadvantages and primarilythe relatively large bulk of the lamps during the shipping thereof. Thusheretofore it has been necessary for the lamp manufacturer to assemblethe lamps in his plant and to ship the lamps fully assembled to thedistributors and retailers and while the weight of the lamp is notsubstantial, the bulk of the packaged lamp is relatively large and thusthe shipping of the lamp by the manufacturer incurs substantial shippingcosts as well as packaging costs. Further the purchaser of the lampsmust use a lamp of the manufacturers design and thus he has'limitedchoice in his design of lamps. Again, during assembly of the lamps bythe manufacturer the tube must be of a precise length for the lampstand. If the tube is' too short or too long for the total length of thewood turnings, the lamp manufacturer whose primary function is assemblyof the lamps from parts'supplied by lamp part makers cannot assemble thelamps or he may find that after partially assembling the lamp he has todestroy a part of it in order to correct the faults.

The present invention provides a lamp which can be shipped in compactdisassembled form and thus the bulk of the lamp package will bedetermined primarily by the size of thelamp shade and in which the standmay be assembled by for example the distributor, the retailer or thebuyer from a plurality of members, e.g. wood turnings, and whicheliminates the necessity of a metal tube extending the height of thelamp stand upon which the wood turnings are mounted.

It has now been found according to the present inthe wood turnings andthe connectors include the bore extending therethrough.

According to the present invention therefore there is provided anelectric lamp stand adapted for mounting thereon of a lamp socket for anelectric bulb fixedly comprising a plurality of elongated members joinedtogether with the ends of adjacent members in abutment, the abuttingends being recessed and releasably fixedly accommodating an end portionof a rigid connector to form the joint between adjacent members each ofsaid members and connector including a bore for passage of said flextherethrough to said socket.

The present invention also includes an electric lamp comprising saidstand a lamp socket for an electric bulb fixedly mounted on said standand electric flex passing upwardly through the bore in the stand to saidsocket for supplying electric power to said bulb.

The present invention still further provides a connector for forming ajoint between the recessed ends of abutting elongated members in thestand of an electric lamp said connector being in the form of acylindrical spindle having a bore extending axially-therethrough andbeing adapted to be releasably, fixedly accommodated in said recesses'inthe ends of said members.

As aforesaid the lamp of the present invention may be transported in hitform with or without the flex and socket being present these beingreadily supplied by the buyer of the lamp. The present invention thusalso provides a bit for forming an electric lamp stand as set forthabove, comprising a plurality of elongated members for forming saidstand upon which a socket for an electric bulb is to be mounted, theends of said members being recessed to accommodate an end portion of aconnector whereby to form a joint with said ends of said members inabutment and at least one connector adapted to be releasablyaccommodated in the recessed ends of a pair of adjacent members to formsaid joint, each of said members and said connector including a bore forpassage of electric flex therethrough. The bit may also include saidflex and said socket.

In order to be releasably fixedly accommodated in the recesses in theelongated members, e.g. the wood turnings, the recesses in the woodturnings aredesirably internally threaded so as to co-operate with anexternal thread on the end portions of the connector. The connector mustbe rigid and is preferably cylindrical, has a bore extending axiallytherethrough and is suitably made of wood or other rigid material suchas natural or synthetic resin e.g. hard rubber.

In order to mount the socket on the lamp stand, desirably the end of theelongated member to which the socket is to be mounted is also threadedlyrecessed and accommodates the threaded end portion of a connector, theupper end portion of the bore in the connector including an externallythreaded and fixedly mounted metal sleeve onto which said socket isscrewed. The lamp shade may also be mounted on this sleeve by means ofthe bracket of the lamp shade.

The lamp stand may also include a base, in particular a weighted base inabutment with the lower end of the lowest of the elongated members inwhich case the lower end of the member and the base are threadedlyrecessed and accommodate an externally threaded connector to form ajoint therebetween, the connector having a bore extending therethroughfor passage of electric flex therethrough. When the base includes aweight, the recess in the base may extend through the base, the lowerend of the bore of the connector including a fixedly mounted sleeveextending from the connector to which the weight may be releasablyattached by means of for example a nut.

The present invention will be further illustrated by way of theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section through a portion of an electric lamp standaccording to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a detail partly in vertical section of the upper portion of anelectric lamp stand according to another embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 3 is a detail vertical section through the base portion of anelectric lamp stand according to yet another embodiment of the presentinvention.

Referring to FIG. 1 the lamp stand is formed from a plurality of woodturnings 1 in end to end abutment. The joint between the abutting endsof the turnings l is formed by an externally threaded connector 2 whichis screwed into internally threaded recesses 3 in the ends of theturnings l. Extending through the wood turnings 1 and connector 2 is abore 4 which allows passage therethrough of electric flex 5.

Referring to FIG. 2 the top portion of the uppermost wood turning 1 alsohas a threaded recess 3 in the upper end thereof which releaseablyfixedly accommodates an externally threaded connector 2, one end ofwhich connector extends from the recess 3. Connector 2 fixedlyaccommodates an externally threaded sleeve 6 in the central bore 4 inthe protruding end thereof the protruding end being covered by ferrule7. The sleeve 6 has screwed thereon the socket 8 of the lamp into whichis screwed the lamp bulb 9. The socket 8 also fixedly locates around thesleeve 6 a bracket 10 of a lamp harp (not shown) for holding the lampshade of the lamp. The flex extending through the bore 4 in the turningl, connector 2 and sleeve 6, is connected to terminals 6 (not shown) inthe socket 8.

Referring to FIG. 3 the lamp stand includes a wood turning 1 havinginternally threaded recesses 3 in the ends thereof the recess 3 in theupper end accommodating a connector for attachment of another woodturning 1 in accordance with FIG. 1 or a socket 8 in accordance withFIG. 2. The lower end of the wood turning 1 is in abutment with a base11 including a weight 12 in a recess 13 in a lower portion of the base11. The turning 1 is joined to the base by means of an externallythreaded connector 2 having a hollow bore 4 which is screwed into thethreaded recess 3 in the base 11 and in the turning l, the recess 3 inthe base 11 extending completely through the base into the recessportion 13. The connector 2 has an externally threaded sleeve 6 fixedlymounted thereon and extending from lower end thereof by which the weight12 is attached to the base 11 by the nut 14.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An electric lamp stand adapted for mounting thereon of a lamp socketfor an electric bulb comprising a plurality of elongated members joinedtogether with the ends of adjacent members in abutment each of, theabutting ends being recessed and the recess in each end releasablyfixedly accommodating an endportion of a rigid connector to form thejoint between said adjacent members, each of said members and connectorincluding a bore for passage of electric flex therethrough to saidsocket.

2. A stand as claimed in claim 1 in which each recess is internallythreaded and the end portions of the connector are externally threadedto provide said releasable fixed accommodation of said connector in saidrecess.

3. A stand as claimed in claim 2 in which said members comprise woodturnings and said connector is in the form of a hollow externallythreaded cylinder.

4. A stand as claimed in claim 2 in which the end of the member to whichthe socket is to be mounted is threadedly recessed and accommodates thethreaded end portion of a connector the upper end portion of the bore insaid connector including an externally threaded fixedly mounted metalsleeve onto which said socket may be screwed.

5. A stand as claimed in claim 2 which includes a base in abutment withthe lower end of the lowest of said members, said lower end and saidbase being threadedly recessed and accommodating an externally threadedconnector to form a joint therebetween, said connector having a boreextending therethrough for passage of electric flex therethrough.

6. A stand -as claimed in claim 5 in which said base includes a weight,said recess in said base extending through said base, the lower end ofthe bore of said connector including a fixedly mounted sleeve extendingfrom said connector to which said weight is releasably attached.

7. An electric lamp comprising a stand as claimed in claim 1 a lampsocket for an electric bulb fixedly mounted in said stand and electricflex passing upwardly through said bore in said stand to said socket forsupplying electric power to said bulb.

8. A kit for forming an electric lamp stand as claimed in claim 1comprising a plurality of elongated members for forming said stand uponwhich a lamp socket for an electric bulb is to be mounted, each end ofsaid members being recessed to accommodate in said recess an end portionof a connector whereby to form a joint with said ends of said members inabutment with each other and at least one connector the end portions ofwhich are adapted to be releasably accommodated in the recessed ends ofthe pair of adjacent members to form said joint of each of said membersand said connectors including a bore for passage of electric flextherethrough.

9. A kit as claimed in claim 8 in which each connector is externallythreaded and the recesses are internally threaded.

10. A kit as claimed in claim 9 including a lamp socket for an electriclight bulb.

11. A kit as claimed in claim 9 in which the bore in one of saidconnectors includes a fixedly mounted ex ternally threaded sleeveextending therefrom by which said socket may be mounted on said stand.

12. A kit as claimed in-claim 9 including a base having an internallythreaded recess therein.

1. An electric lamp stand adapted for mounting thereon of a lamp socketfor an electric bulb comprising a plurality of elongated members joinedtogether with the ends of adjacent members in abutment each of, theabutting ends being recessed and the recess in each end releasablyfixedly accommodating an end portion of a rigid connector to form thejoint between said adjacent members, each of said members and connectorincluding a bore for passage of electric flex therethrough to saidsocket.
 2. A stand as claimed in claim 1 in which each recess isinternally threaded and the end portions of the connector are externallythreaded to provide said releasable fixed accommodation of saidconnector in said recess.
 3. A stand as claimed in claim 2 in which saidmembers comprise wood turnings and said connector is in the form of ahollow externally threaded cylinder.
 4. A stand as claimed in claim 2 inwhich the end of the member to which the socket is to be mounted isthreadedly recessed and accommodates the threaded end portion of aconnector the upper end portion of the bore in said connector includingan externally threaded fixedly mounted metal sleeve onto which saidsocket may be screwed.
 5. A stand as claimed in claim 2 which includes abase in abutment with the lower end of the lowest of said members, saidlower end and said base being threadedly recessed and accommodating anexternally threaded connector to form a joint therebetween, saidconnector having a bore extending therethrough for passage of electricflex therethrough.
 6. A stand as claimed in claim 5 in which said baseincludes a weight, said recess in said base extending through said base,the lower end of the bore of said connector including a fixedly mountedsleeve extending from said connector to which said weight is releasablyattached.
 7. An electric lamp comprising a stand as claimed in claim 1 alamp socket for an electric bulb fixedly mounted in said stand andelectric flex passing upwardly through said bore in said stand to saidsocket for supplying electric power to said bulb.
 8. A kit for formingan electric lamp stand as claimed in claim 1 comprising a plurality ofelongated members for forming said stand upon which a lamp socket for anelectric bulb is to be mounted, each end of said members being recessedto accommodate in said recess an end portion of a connector whereby toform a joint with said ends of said members in abutment with each otherand at least one connector the end portions of which are adapted to bereleasably accommodated in the recessed ends of the pair of adjacentmembers to form said joint of each of said members and said connectorsincluding a bore for passage of electric flex therethrough.
 9. A kit asclaimed in claim 8 in which each connector is externally threaded andthe recesses are internally threaded.
 10. A kit as claimed in claim 9including a lamp socket for an electric light bulb.
 11. A kit as claimedin claim 9 in which the bore in one of said connectors includes afixedly mounted externally threaded sleeve extending therefrom by whichsaid socket may be mounted on said stand.
 12. A kit as claimed in claim9 including a base having an internally threaded recess therein.